Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-15
MARY'S OUNCES.

SO YOU won't give us nothin' for the sub
? scription:" said Mrs. Biggard, folding her
mittened hands simultaneously upon her
Ian Remember. Mary Hay, he who
: gyeth to the poor lendeth 10 the Lord
Yes. | know. Mrs. Biggari," SAID Mary
Hav with the color coming and going on her
cheek, while "A sense of the ridiculous Strove
, within her against a meek consciousness
, of the solemnity Of the words just quoted
but the farm hasn't done well this wear a.
we expected 1t to do, and until all the cut
/ standing debts are paid think II would ls'
scarcely just to indulge myself in the luxury
of subscribing to the Fund for Evangeliziug
the Eh,e Indians,
Mrs Biggari claspe,i the little red mo
rocco subscription book with clicking sound
"Humph." said she. Why don't YOU say
at once that you'd rather spend your money in
navy blue silk gowns and tiashy b"mnetss'
Mary Redeemed to the roots of her hair.
Perhaps YOU are not aware. Mrs Bisgari, ="
said she. that the navy blue dress was
mothers old one, dyed over al home. and that
the bonnet was a present from my aunt i'll
Springfield,
-All very well TO talk" sputterei Mrs
Biggarf shaking out her multitudinouS
fiounces But | know that Mr.. Mildmay
viii I've powerfully disappointed. He expects
somethin besides empty talk from the ladies
of the fock"
Once more the ro,eate color suffused Mary'S
check
MY duty is my duty said she, ana can
not swerve from it TO please any one-not
even Mr. Mildmay'
And the amiable Mrs. Biggard went straight
to the rectory and told Mr. Mildmay that
Mary HAY said she warn't agoin to subscribe
to the fund TO please Mr. Milimay nor any
one else"
The rector listened in silence, but he was
conscious of a pang of inward annoyance.
He had scarcely expected So curt n message
from Mary Hay, in whose dove like black
eyes he had SO often read the light of sym
pathy, whose downcast head reminded him of
the beautiful Mater Dolorosa."
so different from my Ruey. now, amt
shefT said Mrs. Biggard. why Ruey, she's
fairly walked through the soles of a pair o.
boots a solicitin' subscriptions for the fund
! There never was nobody devout as she is
And she wants to know-my Ruey does
whether she and Almiry shant come over to
the rectory an put up the parlor curtains for
| You this afternoon"
something of an embarrassed air, "but dare
say that Bridget will do very well
wouldn't .rout le Miss Zerulah, and"--
"Oh. j. won't lie no trouble at all" said
Mrs. B.ggard.
| And Off she went to give the needful 6irec-
tions TO Zerulah and Almira, her two lean,
middle agei daughters.
| Il do feel such motherly sympathy for a
bacheldore clergyman" said she There
amt no more helpless creetur on the face of
| the earth"
| While Mary Hay, busy at her work in the
farm house kitchen, was puzzling her brains
! to think up some possible or impossible plan
t. get little money to help kind Mr. Mild
mays plan along.
Il wish | could spare something she said
If it was only dollar"
Il wish you could, my dearl" said gentle
| Mrs. Hay, who had overheard the eager
words
Mother cried Mary, there are the
qrinces--the ounces down by the railroad
Why couldn't 1 sell them at the store. The
trees hang full this year and the fruit is
beautifully perfect"
Il never thought of that, said Mrs HAY.
swell go TO morrow and gather them, Mary
You and l.
Mary went singing about her work that
afternoon. Her heart was light as any
feather. Why, why had she not remembered
the ounce tree before. Quincss We're rare
and high priced this season. and she thought
she was certain of at least 81 for the crop
But the next day, when she and her mother
Mrs. Hay carving the basket and Mary
trundling the barrow along before her--went
down TO the orchard, whose slopes extended
TO the glittering steel lines Of the railway. 10
and behold, the trees Were utterly stripped Of
their golden load.
Mary burst into tears. She sat down OH
the edge Of the wheelharrow and hid her
head in her mothers npron like child
"Oh. mother, who has done this" she cried.
"Who can bave been so wIcked-so cruel!'
Its the boys. I'm afraid" said Mrs. Hay
Don't fret, daughter - don't. It's done,
and il can't he helped"
The boys never served US so before" said
Mary between her sohs "Yes. mother. You
are right 1t can't be helped. Let us go
home There Is an end of the subscription
money now"
Slowly and sadly the two women toiled
back up the hill with the wheelbarrow and
basket. Mr.. Hay, just returned from the
harvest field, heard their storg with amaze
ment.
Its the first time that ever tree of mine
was robbed said he. Il didn't know as we |
had such boys i'll tins neighborhood; but, look |
here, Polly, don't cry" laying his hand soOth- |
ingly on his daughters shoulder. Its al |
ways darkest just before daylight. Here's a |
e. gold piece that Mrs. Blake paid me for the |
hay in the up medder. | was going to take it |
toward the taxes, but guess taxes can wait. ." |
NO. father, said Mary, 'our just debts are |
our just debts. | oughtnt to touch this
money!
"Squinches, eh,7 said Luke Darabee. who |
had come in with a stone pitcher for a gallon |
of Mrs. Hays cider vinegar. -Squinches il
mighty sc,,ss this season. see Mrs. Big |
CARDS folks doin up a sight on EN- when
was over there this morning. Mrs Biggard
she's dredful churchy, you know, and the
parson he's said he was partial to preserved |